A couple years ago, I started following a pregnancy nutritionist and purchased a book about managing gestational diabetes with proper nutrition instead of just going to traditional meds. 

Lily Nichols does a top-notch job of showing the nutritional value of different foods and how important it is for mother and baby to get so many different nutrients for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.

These thoughts came to me as I was watching our sows this week, out enjoying the summer greenery in the farm yard. 

They spend A LOT of time foraging and munching on the variety of plant life out there.

Right now they are also growing their fall born little ones as well. 

With every mouthful, they are supplying their piglets with nutrition that can’t be found elsewhere.  How wonderful it is to see these healthy mamas growing healthy babies before our very eyes!

How rare it is in this day and age for expecting sows to get a varied and natural diet!

How blessed we are to be able to offer them this.

And how blessed we are to be able to fill our freezers with this uniquely nutritious meat that has been months in the growing.

And we’d love to offer these to you as well!

Click here to see what’s coming up…

What’s in the farm kitchen this week

Gravy might be my favorite suppertime food.

I find myself making it a bit.  Turn any meat into a gravy and put it on potatoes or noodles and supper is ready!

Is the idea of making gravy overwhelming to you?  It doesn’t have to be!

Here’s my easy gravy…

1. Start with hot meat of some kind (hamburger or stew meat is usually what I use) and stir in flour to heavily coat it.  I usually aim for about 3/4 flour to about 1lb of meat.  If there’s a little fat in the bottom, that’s ok!
2. Add about a 1/2 to 1 cup of water or milk and turn the stove on a low heat.
3. Stir, stir, stir…whisk, whisk, whisk!  Make sure to get to the bottom of the pan.
4. Slowly add small amounts of milk or water until you have the amount of gravy and meat you’d like.  Stir, stir, stir!
5. I like to add a packet of onion soup mix or fresh onions, salt and pepper.
6. Spread on mashed potatoes or cooked noodles and enjoy!

Potential issues and how to solve them…

1. It isn’t thickening…you probably didn’t add enough flour.  Put some flour and liquid into a jar with a lid, shake vigorously, and dump into the non-thick gravy. Stir for a minute to see if it thickens. Repeat this until it becomes thick.
2. Another for not thickening…you may be adding the liquid too fast. I recently learned this. If you dump in all the liquid at one time, it takes FOREVER to heat up, and it just doesn’t thicken well. It’s best to slowly add more liquid as it thickens.
3. Lumpy…Make sure you’re using a whisk and use it vigorously at first.  Usually the lumps come out. And, unless you’re making this for a fancy presentation, a few small lumps in the end isn’t terrible…it’ll still taste amazing.
4. It’s sticking to the bottom…remove from heat and really scrape the bottom with a spatula before it starts to burn.  The thicker the gravy, the more likely it’ll stick.

Bible inspiration this week

Thinking about our expectant sows this week made me think of the marvels of reproduction.

And one of our family’s Bible readings this week fits with it too!

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

Psalm 139:13-14

It’s just truly amazing how all creation develops and grows and then goes on to develop and grow the next generation of their own kind. 

What an awesome God we have to create all this amazingness.

That verse also made me think this past Sunday in Bible study…Pastor reminded us again that we each have a purpose here and now. 

It was no accident you were born when you were…that you have the friends and family you have…the jobs you do everyday…a trip to the grocery store was when it was, etc, etc. It’s all woven together in large wonderful work of art by an even larger God.

Do you ever wonder – what am I doing here? What is my purpose?  Yup…me too.

But everyday we are here is a day of grace to show the love of God to others, help a friend, positively influence a family member…the list is never-ending.  If you’re reading this, your God-given job on earth isn’t done yet!

Encouraging you to remember that you are a precious creation of our almighty God, fearfully and wonderfully made, with a unique purpose all your own.